Reefing 2020: What's the best and worst thing that happened?

[RC79ATC]

We are still learning. Lost a coral or two and have had some success as well. Learning that some equipment is crucial while others are luxuries.

Hopefully i have it down enough to keep my corals alive and growing! Time will tell

 

[tigre44]

Growth still not what I think it should be by but most all stayed alive and I had few issues

 

[McPuff]

Built and installed a plywood sump. Finished my stand/canopy refresh (in place). New lagoon (75gal) to replace the old (40 trough). Hung Orphek Atlantiks on my display and lagoon. Got a bunch of new fish!

 

[Thunderrap]

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?
I got to start my tank, I've learned so much since I started in March this year and my tank seems to be going strong, my Duncans have almost tripled their heads and some of my blastos are starting to get pretty big.

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?
Poor planning on my part and spending WAY too much money to get my tank going when if I sat back and researched as much before I bought everything I could have spent less than half of what I did. But you live and learn

 

[ricksmithsdca]

2020 has been one crazy year to say the least! I think that's something we all can agree on! HA!

But how was it for reefing? I know many of us had more time for reefing since we were at home more and with that time I'm sure there were some great things and not so great things that happened. So let's talk about it!

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?

Since I just decided to get my salt water reefing tank going and it's my 1st foray into it, I would say my 2020 reefing experience has been amazing. I have learned so much in anticipation of getting started.

The only downside, I do not seem to have as much free cash these days. Lol

 

[vabben]

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?
I got into the Salt Water hobby. With my kids home due to COVID they wanted to upgrade their 10 gallon FW tank to the 30-gallon tank we had sitting empty in our basement. Once everything was transferred to their new tank, it left me with an empty spot in my office for a SW tank!
2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?
As my coral collection increased I needed to start dosing. To save money I was dosing by hand, wrong decision. One day I dosed soda ash too quickly, after that happend I watch my coral collection slowly wither away and die.

 

[Afterburner]

Worst:
A magnet rusted and caused zinc to go off the charts... lost a lot of corals, first the bird's nests, then most of the acros, and my huge torch.

Best:
As my torch died, it spawned tiny torches all over the tank. Now many month later I have three that are growing nicely, but not exactly where I want them to.

 

[RJ Murphy]

Best Thing: Upgrade from my 90 to a 150.
Worst Thing: Upgrade from my 90 to a 150.

Ninety was doing great, so I thought the upgrade would be great, It's been a trial, but am turning the corner maybe.

 

[Landers]

Best: I got my first three corals!

Worst: I mistakingly bought a dendronephthya after being told it was a gorgonian. Needless to say, it’s not doing well.

 

[kdogley]

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?

Getting my Neptune Apex installed in August.

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?

Well... it could be tropical storm Eta. I hope not.

2020 has been a great year for me in reefing
Has I have my reef looking the way I like it
Only problem is with my nano tank that is full of
Cyno as of Tuesday yuk

 

[amarcini]

2020 has been a rollercoaster year. After 5 years of nano reefing, my wife gives me the green light to purchase a biocube to eventually replace the 20 H standard with all of the hang over things. I plot what I want my tank to look like at the end and carefully start. Dry rock not live rock (no hitch hikers), use macro algae as a piece of the display, seed copepods, et cetera. The thought was to wait to transfer my livestock when my parameters of the two tanks coincided. However, the 20 H sprung a leak and 1/3 of the water was on the floor. Emergency transfer happened. Everybody was good. The bio load caused some early stress, but everything worked out. I bought a new Cobalt heater. Evidently, it was defective as it shocked everything in the tank to death. I found this out when I reactively stuck my hands in the tank to save everything. Make sure you unplug. So I’ve had some losses, I do want to say. I know what I want. I miss my clowns and my goby. The next ones won’t be them but they’ll still be loved.

 

[jwt1603]

Best thing is that after about three years the tank has stabilized and i'm learning to keep my hands out of it. ( I love to tinker around with stuff but tanks don't like that ).

Worst thing was that I overdosed Phosphate-E ( I counted the ML wrong and realized it just as I finished ) and killed my wife's favorite coral. Stunted the growth of everything else for a while but the rest seem to be coming back.

 

[CoralVue_Marketing]

2020 has been one crazy year to say the least! I think that's something we all can agree on! HA!

But how was it for reefing? I know many of us had more time for reefing since we were at home more and with that time I'm sure there were some great things and not so great things that happened. So let's talk about it!

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?

HYDROS Control launched!

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?

I had my first tank crack and my first tank crash over the summer. It was just an unfortunate sequence of events that left me feeling really bummed out. My oldest fish was 10-years-old.

 

[catchmereefin]

Good: got back into reefing and the technology and advancements are awesome compared to 10 years ago.

Bad: costs of coral/fish

 

[waterskiguy]

2020 has had many ups and downs for me. Mostly positive, with a few little negatives. I started a new 260 gallon display in August of 2019 so things were bound to be good, starting around the new year. They just keep getting better. I also started to QT my fish before they go in my tank, which has led to nothing but positive experience.

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?

I have been able to pick up two different lots of fish for pennies on the dollar. I never thought I'd be able to get black tang, Gem tang, flame, Labouti, Pintail and Lineatis Fairy Wrasses etc.

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?

Phosphate drop (My fault) killed a few of my high end SPS colonies (Homewrecker, Acid Trip Milli, RR Orange passion...)


My faith in reef keeping has been restored and that flame relit and burning bright.

I hope others haver had good experiences, with not so many bad ones, too.

 

[StormyVT]

Good is I recently got my 112 gallon tank up and running. Cycle finished a few weeks ago.

The bad is my bank account took a hit.

 

[Tony Tanks]

I developed a leak in my 425 gallon tank . I tried to fine someone to fix it , no luck . It took many try's to fix it . Not a good time .

 

[Dmerriman]

Just getting started this year. Bought a 70g used and removed all the calcium build up. Been reading and saving for a skimmer. Then I will rebuild the 20g sump and hopefully have water in it by the end of the year. Would like to move faster but I would rather save and get the equipment I won’t have to upgrade.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?
In a sick and twisted way, Covid. It forced me into a slightly early retirement which gave me more time to make the improvements I've been wanting to do. (and that's the only silver lining about Covid)

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?
Apex EB832 died.

 

[bigjgmac]

2020 has been one crazy year to say the least! I think that's something we all can agree on! HA!

But how was it for reefing? I know many of us had more time for reefing since we were at home more and with that time I'm sure there were some great things and not so great things that happened. So let's talk about it!

1. What was the BEST thing in reefing that happened for you in 2020?

2. What was the WORST thing that happened to you in reefing in 2020?

All in all 2020 was a good year in reefing for me.

The BEST thing that happened was a massive aquarium upgrade from an Aqueon 28 to a Waterbox FRAG 105 with zero casualties in the transition. All the old stock is thriving and new stock is on the way. My new tank looks EPIC.

The WORST thing that happened to me was a massive aquarium upgrade from an Aqueon 28 to a Waterbox FRAG 105. It cost as much as a bathroom renovation: tank and stand, more rock, new sand, new powerheads, new return pump, new skimmer, new reactor, new heater, new lights, new light brackets,

new Apex, new DOS, new Trident...not to mention additional fish and corals. Shudder.

Did I mention my new tank looks EPIC? It's been great, it's been satisfying, and it's been ruinously expensive.